TRAINEE SOLICITOR PROGRAMME
MOST POPULAR GRADUATE RECRUITER IN LAW FOR SIX YEARS “There is a strong emphasis placed on learning and development throughout your traineeship.”
A&L Goodbody YOUR As a Trainee Solicitor at A&L Goodbody, you are guided every step of the way as you embark on your legal career with top tier, market leading lawyers. Throughout your CAREER training contract, your on-the-job training is fully supported by a structured Trainee Development Programme. This enables you to develop the skill set and commercial JOURNEY acumen you need to become one of the next generation of top international lawyers.
TRAINING CONTRACT OFFICIAL START DATE LAW SOCIETY FOR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE COURSE APRIL (PPC I) 6 MONTHS LAW SOCIETY FOR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE COURSE IN-OFFICE (PPC II) IN-OFFICE TRAINING TRAINING 3 MONTHS SEATS 2&3 SEAT 1 11 MONTHS 6 MONTHS
A&L Goodbody Ronan Lyons & Niamh Ryan Partners with responsibility for Trainee Solicitor Programme
“At A&L Goodbody, we see our Trainees Solicitors as the next generation of the Firm’s lawyers and Partners. Our commitment is to provide you, as a Trainee Solicitor, with the legal and business grounding you need to become an excellent corporate lawyer. As a Trainee Solicitor with QUALIFICATION A&L Goodbody, you will be working alongside IN-OFFICE DECEMBER our top corporate lawyers across a range of TRAINING legal practice areas, all of whom are experts in SEAT 4 their field. Your talent and ambition will be fully 5 MONTHS nurtured and developed so that you will become the best lawyer you can be and a top adviser to our clients”. WHO WE ARE A&L Goodbody is internationally recognised as Ireland’s leading law firm. The Firm has an extensive and top class client list, representing household names, financial institutions and international blue chip corporations. With 91 Partners and over 700 Julian Yarr staff, we offer the broadest range of commercial and specialist legal services in Ireland. Managing Partner We are a full service ‘all-island’ law firm with offices in Dublin and Belfast. We also ‘Ireland’s Most Trusted Leader 2016’ have international offices in London, New York, San Francisco and Palo Alto. The — Great Place to Work (GPTW) Firm’s work environment reflects an atmosphere of achievement and excellence. First class information technology systems and an award winning Knowledge Centre support your development as a Trainee Solicitor and allow you to thrive within the “At A&L Goodbody, we pride ourselves on Firm. A subsidised restaurant, smoothie bar, coffee dock and on site gym contribute our strong culture of working together. Our to an enjoyable working environment. approachable and collaborative working environment means that we listen and learn We have a collaborative culture at A&L Goodbody. We find innovative and commercial legal solutions as a team, and share knowledge throughout all levels of from each other every day. We understand the Firm. that we can only continue to be the best by investing in people and developing their talents into the best expertise. Everyone continues to learn throughout their career, nobody here thinks they know it all. Training Most popular graduate recruiter in law 2012 - 2017 at A&L Goodbody starts with our Trainee Solicitors and never stops. Job satisfaction is as important to us as it is to you, and there is particular satisfaction in working on international business deals and high profile corporate projects. As a Trainee Solicitor with A&L Goodbody, we commit to giving you an experience that will maximise your potential.”
www.algoodbody.com/trainees AT A GLANCE WHY A&L GOODBODY?
Our ambition is to be our clients’ best advisers and that is what we train you to become. We see our Trainee Solicitors as the future of our Firm and we invest significant time, care and attention in our Trainee Solicitor Programme. We are 700+ confident that our Programme offers the best training to the right candidates and we are delighted to be recognised for the strength of our Programme, as the EMPLOYEES recipient of the gradireland award for ‘Most Popular Graduate Recruiter in Law’ for the past six years. If you want to become a top class corporate lawyer, receiving the very best training is essential. As a Trainee Solicitor at A&L Goodbody, you are not pigeon-holed 91 30+ into specalising in a particular area of law too early. You have the opportunity to discover for yourself where your interests lie and what you are really good at. TRAINEES HIRED We also feel that there’s more to a traineeship than learning about law. You will PARTNERS EACH YEAR learn how business works and how to interact with clients. We teach you how to apply your legal knowledge to commercial situations, in a practical way. You will be W YORK NE , SA N, N F O R encouraged to challenge yourself and to realise your potential. D A N N
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Most popular graduate recruiter in law 2012 - 2017 €3m 6 YEARS
WORTH OF PRO BONO VOTED ‘BEST GRADUATE LEGAL ADVICE SINCE 2013 RECRUITER IN LAW’ WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT AS A TRAINEE SOLICITOR
As a Trainee Solicitor you will have an opportunity to discover which areas of law interest and engage you most. Some people are born litigators, others love the dynamics of a commercial deal and some absorb themselves in employment law, taxation or restructuring. Our Trainee Solicitor Programme is designed to encourage and develop your unique qualities. As a Trainee Solicitor you will spend time in our main departments; Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Banking & Financial Services, Commercial Property, ENDA KERIN Tax and Pensions. In each department you will work as part of a team with all the support, facilities and guidance you need to learn about that area of the law. In addition, we have a range of specialist 1st Year Trainee, units focusing on particular areas of the law, such as EU & Competition, Restructuring & Insolvency, Bachelor of Civil Law (Law and Energy, Environment, and Intellectual Property & Technology. You will also have the opportunity to French), University College Cork work in some of these areas during your traineeship. Our approach is friendly; our office doors stay open. We are always ready to answer questions and many of our Trainee Solicitors will have the opportunity to share an office with a Partner and other “At A&L Goodbody, a holistic senior lawyers during their traineeship. approach to training is adopted with top-class on-the-job training complementing practical, formal learning. This enables Trainees to develop the skills necessary to become leading international corporate lawyers. From our initial induction week to our weekly Trainee Development Programme sessions, we learn how every team and department in the Firm interacts with each other. We also have extensive resources at our disposal that we can turn to when faced with the most challenging legal issues. I found this support invaluable in my transition from university to life to the workplace”.
www.algoodbody.com/trainees DID YOU KNOW?
We encourage all of our Trainee Solicitors to do further studies during their traineeship and provide guidance and financial assistance to help you to do so. WORK WITH THE BEST
Our clients include the world’s top multinationals, financial institutions, entrepreneurs and investors. The legal work we do for them is challenging, complex and often ground-breaking. We will train IRELAND’S you to thrive in this environment − to be the next IRISH LAW FIRM INDEPENDENT MOST generation of top international lawyers. OF THE YEAR LAW FIRM OF INNOVATIVE 2017 THE YEAR 2017 LAW FIRM 2016 A selection of our clients include: AMY EUSTACE 2nd Year Trainee Bachelor of Civil Law University College Dublin
“After attending my first Professional Practice course, I began my second LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT rotation - a client secondment in London, working in the Asset As a Trainee Solicitor at A&L Goodbody, you can expect to receive excellent training in the practical Management arm of an international application of the law, from the moment you begin your career with us. We believe in investing in bank. My secondment has given me your ongoing development as a corporate lawyer and trusted business adviser. In addition to the a great oppourtunity to understand Law Society’s Professional Practice Courses, which form part of your training contract, our Trainee the needs and expectations our Development Programme combines on-the-job experience, informal mentoring, and practical legal clients have of their lawyers. It skills development, through in-house workshops, seminars and full access to our extensive research and library facilities. We encourage our Trainee Solicitors to take on new challenges, to acquire new has provided me with valuable skills and push themselves to realise their true potential. experience in making decisions which are driven by both legal and business considerations. I have also had the INTERNATIONAL & SECONDMENT opportunity to develop a strong OPPORTUNITIES relationship with one of the Firm’s key clients and of course a wonderful All of our Trainee Solicitors have the opportunity to secure international experience or complete time getting to know a new city. a client secondment. We offer a number of our Trainee Solicitors the opportunity to complete a rotation or ‘seat’ either in our London office, with one of our international clients, or with an The chance to work in a law firm with international law firm. We also offer secondment opportunities with some of our key domestic an international focus was one area clients. We believe there is no substitute for practical, hands-on experience. Giving our Trainee that drew me to A&L Goodbody”. Solicitors the opportunity to develop these skills means they become lawyers who fully understand how business works – a real benefit to the Firm and our clients. www.algoodbody.com/trainees
THE PACKAGE FINANCIAL BENEFITS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT Top of the market salary Trainee Development Programme A&L Goodbody offers one of the most Full salary paid while at PPC1 & PPC2 Education bursary attractive salary and benefits packages with the Law Society of Ireland Award-winning Knowledge available in the market place. This package Exam bonuses Department demonstrates only the tangible elements Assessment and feedback throughout of the support and rewards we give to our All Law Society fees paid during traineeship your career with us Trainee Solicitors. You’ll find that the reality Career development and mapping Discretionary Christmas bonus of working in A&L Goodbody is even more (following qualification) rewarding. Contribution to Personal Retirement Savings Account Life assurance Tax Saver Travel Scheme Conveyancing service
ANNUAL LEAVE HEALTH AND LIFESTYLE 20 days annual leave per annum, WELLBEING Flexible working policy (on increasing with length of service, up to Contribution towards private health qualification) and including 27 days per annum after insurance Unpaid leave 7 years’ service On-site gym with a fully qualified Dry cleaning drop off and collect Additional 5 days annual leave on personal trainer facility completion of PPC1 & PPC2 with the Wellness and employee assistance On-site shop and ATM service Law Society of Ireland programme Subsidised restaurant, smoothie bar, Between 3-5 days per annum Long term sickness policy additional holidays during Christmas coffee dock and Easter breaks Paid maternity and adoptive leave Dress down days VDU eye testing and contribution ‘Great Place to Work’ committee, towards eye sight testing and glasses/ which includes Trainee Solicitors contact lenses Annual flu injection
www.algoodbody.com/trainees WHAT HAPPENS AFTER TRAINING? As your traineeship progresses, we work with you to develop your own personal career path. The area of law you practice upon qualification will not be decided until you complete the Trainee Solicitor Development Programme. The range of specialist services offered by the Firm enables us to provide a degree of flexibility to Trainee Solicitors and newly qualified solicitors in terms of which area of law they want to focus on. We support our newly qualified solicitors with our market leading learning and development programmes, aimed at the continued development of our legal talent, through mentoring, workshops on commercial skills, seminars and further education. Opportunities for promotion and advancement are clearly communicated. We encourage all our newly qualified solicitors to be ambitious about what they can achieve and to work hard to get it.
“We support our newly qualified solicitors with our market leading learning and development programmes.” THE APPLICATION PROCESS
Candidate Criteria We look for candidates who have the personality and disposition to become top class corporate lawyers. The All applicants must be either final year undergraduates, following are the attributes we believe make the most postgraduates or have successfully obtained a third level successful lawyers: degree qualification. Intellectual Ability, Judgement & Commercial Awareness Although a primary degree is a pre-requisite, we don’t Ability to Build Relationships just look for people who are academically high achievers Commitment to a Career in Corporate Law or limit applicants to those who have studied law. We Motivation & Initiative accept degrees from all disciplines. It is also important to Effective Communication us that you can work as part of a team, are motivated, have Resilience initiative and have clear expectations of your future.
HOW DO I APPLY?
To apply for a position on our Trainee Solicitor Programme visit our website www.algoodbody.com/trainees, to complete and submit your online application. The stages of our application process are outlined below. Specific timelines for this year’s recruitment process are available on our website.
STAGE 1 STAGE 2 STAGE 3 STAGE 4 STAGE 5
APPLICATION SELECTION INTERVIEW OFFER ACCEPTANCE Online application Our Trainee Solicitor Interviews for Verbal and written Candidates confirm process. Committee reviews all Trainee Solicitor offers are made acceptance of applications positions are held in to successful offers. and selects candidates our Dublin office. candidates. for interview.
www.algoodbody.com/trainees RESPONSIBLE DIVERSITY & BUSINESS INCLUSION As a Trainee Solicitor you will have the As part of the Firm’s commitment to equality opportunity to get involved in our Community and fostering a culture of inclusion, we Programme called ‘Step Up’ which forms established a Diversity & Inclusion Group part of our overall Responsible Business which meets regularly to consider different Strategy. We deliver a number of projects in aspects of diversity including disability, sexual partnership with the local community, focusing orientation, gender, family status, ethnicity on supporting those most in need, through and age, with a view to ultimately ensuring Educational and Employment Programmes. that A&L Goodbody’s policies and practices JO KANE You will also have the opportunity to use your match its commitment to equality and legal skills to support charities and not-for- inclusion. The Firm’s current focus is on the 1st Year Trainee profit organisations through our pro bono areas of gender, sexual orientation, social BA European Studies, Trinity programme. mobility and mental health. College Dublin Postgraduate Diploma in Law, INNOVATION Dublin Institute of Technology Future Focus At A&L Goodbody we are always looking at what is “My undergraduate degree was very trending in business. In particular we are known for broad, covering several disciplines. our innovative legal work and for our commitment Therefore moving into law was an to technology. We are proud to have been named opportunity for me to focus and ‘Ireland’s Most Innovative Law Firm’ by the develop my skills in a more specific Financial Times three times in the last four years. area, and work in a field that is both challenging and constantly evolving.
My advice to anyone considering law, A&L Goodbody Bold Ideas Student from a non-legal background, is to Innovation Award play to your strengths. Take a look at the relevant skills and qualities you Innovation is a core value of our business and we have and how transferable they are encourage our lawyers to find new and better ways to a career in law. There are plenty of to solve client problems − every day. To encourage people within the Firm who moved students to do the same, we developed an annual into law from another area, so there Bold Ideas Student Innovation Award which has is no reason to feel you can’t or been running for the last six years. shouldn’t apply”. SOCIAL SCENE AT A&L GOODBODY
. Summer barbecue . Inter-office football, tennis & . Paintball & clay pigeon . Christmas party cricket games shooting . Theatre & karaoke nights . Tag rugby team . Themed table quizzes . Calcutta Run . Weekends away . A&LG Choir . Golf outings . Cinema trips . 5-a-side soccer team . Surfing weekends . Karting . Lip Sync Battle
THOMAS O’DONNELL Newly Qualified Solicitor Bachelor of Civil Law International, University College Dublin LLM in Competition Law, Kings College, London
“A&LG ensures that the transition from Trainee to Newly Qualified Solicitor (NQS) is as seamless as possible, by providing the essential training that you need when you qualify. As a NQS we have already participated in a number of specialised training days which included a series of well-constructed role plays, simulating some of the more difficult scenarios that a NQS may encounter. The opportunity to experience these scenarios with Partners and real clients is both practical and really helpful. The training is very structured and enables you to quickly adjust to your new role.”
www.algoodbody.com/trainees buzzinside We are the first and only Irish law firm to participate in gradIreland’s ‘Inside Buzz’ initiative, a European graduate satisfaction survey. This is what our Trainees have to say: CULTURE “There is a huge emphasis on teamwork and an ‘open-door’ policy. Partners listen to you when you’re on their team, and there are great social events for the firm every month. The firm works hard but also enjoys free time.” Second year Trainee FORMAL TRAINING “The firm runs a fantastic training programme. You are supported and encouraged every step of the way. There are Trainee Development Programme talks every week delivered by people in different TRAINEE RETENTION departments, so you learn about all of the departments in the firm. The firm provides you with a bursary to complete further education courses “The retention rates are consistently over such as diplomas or certificates.” 90%. The firm makes a conscious decision not to over recruit at trainee level which Third year Trainee means that retention levels for NQS remain consistently high.” Third year Trainee
DIVERSITY “In terms of diversity, A&L Goodbody recognise that individuals with different experiences, backgrounds and attitudes bring different perspectives and ideas to the organisation.” Third year Trainee SALARY “The firm takes the salary of its trainees very seriously, and ensures it is at the top of the market in terms of pay package offered.”
SATISFACTION WITH WORK Second year Trainee “My team are very good at ensuring the trainee is involved in the transaction in a meaningful way. I have good client interaction, a lot of responsibility in drafting documents and liaising with the various parties.” Second year Trainee
INFORMAL TRAINING & MENTORING “My partners have been extremely accessible and approachable in terms of gaining context around the PRO BONO transactions I have been involved “The firm has a very strong track record in relation to pro bono in. I receive regular performance projects and has been nominated/won numerous corporate awards feedback and recognition when I for the programme. Employees at all levels are highly encouraged to have worked diligently.” get involved in some aspect of pro bono work.” First year Trainee First year Trainee
www.algoodbody.com/trainees /ALGtrainees A&L Goodbody
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CONTACT US For further queries regarding the Trainee Solicitor Programme please contact:
Niamh Ryan Ronan Lyons Clodagh Collier Partner with responsibility for Partner with responsibility for Trainee and Intern Trainee Solicitor Programme Trainee Solicitor Programme Programme Manager T: +44 20 73 820 820 T: +353 1 649 2200 T: +353 1 649 2273 E: [email protected] E: [email protected] E: [email protected]
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